#2169 My 10 Favourite Films

April 30, 2012

Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson in Lost in Translation.

1. Lost in Translation – because it’s my favourite film of all time. Easily the best movie about the relationship between an aging star and a bored young married girl named Charlotte. And that bit at the end when he whispers in her ear – greatest film moment of all time.

2. Garden State – because you needed another reason to fall in love with Natalie Portman.

3. Reality Bites – ditto the above, but with Winona Ryder. Plus, it is the quintessential 90s movie; it’s superficially anti consumerist (the characters discuss the perils of consumerism while drinking Coca Cola), un-air-brushed (Winona goes bra-less for the duration) and it features the two most Generation X actors of all time (Ryder and Ethan Hawke).

4. Closer – because it is the most accurate relationship film of all time, and it features the single most awful-yet-relatable break up scene in the history of cinema (like you but sweeter). Amazing.

5. The Talented Mr Ripley – because no one movie has had better costumes or creepier acting, ever.

6. Freddy Got Fingered – because it inspired me to get a tattoo of a half man, half zebra on my left buttock cheek, aged 21. True story.

7. Good Will Hunting – because Matt Damon and Robin Williams absolutely kill it together, plus it has the best motivational speech ever, courtesy of Mr Ben Affleck. “You’re sitting on a winning lottery ticket, and you’re too much of a pussy to cash it in.” Gets me every single time.

8. Chasing Amy – because it proves that if you love her enough, she will quit lesbianism for you. I kid. Kind of. Na but seriously it’s the best of the Kevin Smith films, and Silent Bob’s speech at the end is profound.

9. The Help – because it will break your heart and give you hope all at the same time. It’s a good one to watch on the plane when you’re feeling all sentimental and hyper emotional and you need to trigger the tears.

10. Starlight Hotel – because it’s a brilliant New Zealand road movie about two unlikely runaway companions, and it shows off the countryside like Lord of the Rings wishes it could have. Call me biased, but there’s another reason I love it – my Dad wrote it.